Question

Pain relief study Fizz Laboratories, a pharmaceutical company, has developed a new drug for relieving chronic pain. Sixty patients suffering from arthritis and needing pain relief are available. Each patient will be treated and asked an hour later, “About what percent of pain relief did you experience?”

(a) Why should Fizz not simply administer the new drug and record the patients’ responses?

(b) Should the patients be told whether they are getting the new drug or a placebo? How would this knowledge probably affect their reactions?

Short answer

(a) This is due to the fact that it is not concluded that drinking Fizz (diet soda) will cause increase or decrease in the weight of the children.

(b) It is not required that patients should be be told that they are getting placebo or new drug.

Step-by-step solution

Given Information

A new drug is developed in lab for relieving chronic pain. Sixty arthritis patients required pain relief were treated. Results were observed after an hour.

To explain why Fizz cannot administer new drug and record patient's response.

This is because it is not concluded that drinking Fizz (diet soda) will cause increase or decrease in the weight of the children. If we provide new drug to $30$ people and no drug to remaining, no control group will study placebo effect. The group with no treatment is also not a control group as they are aware that they are not being treated.

To explain should the patients be told whether they are getting the new drug or a placebo.

Patients should not be told because we are willing to eliminate the placebo effect. If they will be told so, they will not get any pain relief which is possible if they do not get placebo.